#158, Triage
I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.
I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.
If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.
-Hippocrates
The Hippocratic Oath is a promise created by the Greek physician Hippocrates for healers. In it, doctors promise to, "First do no harm" and "respect the privacy of my patients" in addition to several others. They also promise, "Above all, I must not play at God." Ideally doctors save the lives of all their patients. They perform to the best of their ability and provide the greatest good they can.
What happens though, when people are dying and a doctor cannot save them all? How do you choose who will live and who will die? Maybe you save the youngest. Or the sickest. Maybe you put names in a hat and choose at random.
triage n. (in medical use) the assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or casualties
To complete this Journal response,
Imagine that you are a doctor during the Korean War. You have limited resources and can only attend to one patient. Outside of your medical tent, there are four patients who are in desperate need of medical care. Choose one of the patients from the list. Explain why you would choose to save this patient's life.
PABLO, a 91 year old grandfather from England, arrives at the tent with his family of six. His son tells you that he was stepping out of the shower when he slipped, broke his left leg, and hit his head against the sink. He is unconscious and has significant swelling of his head.
YEJUN, a three and a half year old Korean boy, arrives at the tent with his father. His father brought him to the tent stating that he drank cleaning fluid from underneath the sink. He has been vomiting violently for the past two hours.
VANESSA, a 17 year old university exchange student from France, arrives at the tent complaining of a sore throat. She has a hoarse voice and her friend says that she has been unwell for a few days, but has come to the tent today because she cannot swallow. She has not had food or drink for the past 24 hours.
ZIYI, a 41 year old Chinese professor, arrives at the tent with her husband. She is 30 weeks pregnant. She was cooking at home and accidentally cut her wrist with a chef's knife. Her clothing is soaked with blood and she shows no signs of consciousness.
Comment on a peer's response.
-Brenden Lee Teacher